June 19, 2011
The Greek prime minister, George Papandreou, has called for a referendum on "changes to the political system", including to the country's constitution, as he embarked on a three-day parliamentary marathon that will culminate in a confidence vote in his beleaguered government on Tuesday.
Papandreou blames Greece's bloated state sector for bringing the country to its knees and has vowed to effect deep changes. He said the constitutional revision would make it easier to prosecute delinquent government officials.
Papandreou also made a last-ditch plea to his country to pull together behind his latest package of austerity measures, which he says are essential to save Greece from bankruptcy. He said Greece was negotiating a new international bailout package that was "roughly equal" to last year's €110bn lifeline.
European eurozone ministers are meeting in Luxembourg on Sunday night to thrash out a new deal for Greece that officials hope will spare it from default and buy it breathing space to get its public finances in order. Greece's debt is currently more than €300bn – 150% of its annual economic output.
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